In wireless communication typified by that performed by a wireless LAN compliant with IEEE 802.11, there are a large number of setting items that must be set before use.
Examples of setting items are communication parameters necessary in order to carry out wireless communication, such as an SSID serving as a network identifier, an encryption method, an encryption key, an authentication method and an authentication key. Setting these by manual input performed by a user is very troublesome.
Accordingly, various manufacturers have proposed automatic setting methods for setting communication parameters in wireless devices in simple fashion. According to these automatic setting methods, communication parameters are provided from one device to another device based upon a procedure and messages predetermined between the devices to be connected, and the setting of the communication parameters is performed automatically.
An example of automatic setting of communication parameters has been disclosed in Wi-Fi (certified trademark) for Wi-Fi Protected Setup: Easing the User Experience for Home and Small Office Wi-Fi (R) Networks, http://www.wi-fi.org/wp/wifi-protected-setup (referred to as a “Wi-Fi protected setup document” below).
There are two methods of setting communication parameters automatically, namely a method in which the user inputs an authentication code to the device (referred to as an “authentication code method” below) and a method in which an authentication code is not input (referred to as a “non-authentication code method” below) (see the Wi-Fi protected setup document).
According to the authentication code method, an authentication code is shared between devices, authentication processing is executed by each of the devices and setup processing is executed between devices where authentication processing has succeeded. In this case, it becomes possible for a device to transfer communication parameters safely by authentication processing.
According to the non-authentication code method, when a terminal that has initiated automatic setting of communication parameters is detected, the communication parameters are provided to this device automatically. One example of a non-authentication code method is a method of starting setup processing by pressing a setting start button provided on a device and, during execution of this setup processing, performing automatic setup between this device and another device that has started setup processing is similar fashion. Although the non-authentication code method is inferior to the authentication code method in terms of security, it has the advantage of simple operation because the user need not input an authentication code.
Thus, the user is capable of setting communication parameters in a wireless device through a simple operation, and the wireless device can be connected to a network in simple fashion by using the communication parameters that have been set.
In the prior art, set communication parameters change explicitly once they are set, or they do not change unless the automatic setting of the communication parameters is performed again.
With regard to reconnection processing following inadvertent severance of communication, whether re-connection is possible with communication parameters once set cannot be easily determined. Before re-connection is attempted, therefore, the user must first investigate the status of the network to which the connection is to be made. Furthermore, based upon the result of this investigation of network status, the user must select whether to execute automatic setting of communication parameters again or to execute connection processing using the already set communication parameters.